Republican Candidates for Chatham Borough Council Bring No New Ideas

The following letter was written by Chatham Borough Council Member Karen Koronkiewicz:

At September's debate between the four candidates for Chatham Borough Council, each laid out their arguments for why they deserve your vote.

Democrats Jocelyn Mathiasen and Kate Hay did an outstanding job demonstrating that they have the capability and the experience to continue to improve Chatham, maintain fiscal discipline, enhance services, analyze difficult decisions, and maintain a welcoming environment for Borough.

Republicans Joe Barrette and April Kabbash failed to present a clear reason or point of difference for their candidacy other than just being Republican. In fact, from the number of times that Mr. Barrette said that he agreed with Ms. Mathiasen, you would think that he, not Kate Hay, was her running mate.

However, the Republicans did make some strange points. Both indicated that they would prefer to cancel the Chatham Borough Fishawack Festival (running since 1969) and allow the Chatham Borough Farmers’ Market to close (an amenity for residents for the last 18 years) if these events can’t pay for themselves. Mr. Barette and Ms. Kabbash didn’t provide any new ideas on how to improve these events. In contrast, Democratic candidate Hay talked about new ways to address the challenges the market currently faces and the special place that Fishawack has in the hearts of Chatham Borough’s residents.

These events (to include our gazebo concerts, tree lighting, menorah lighting, Earth Day, Fourth of July parade and fireworks, and others) draw on a miniscule fraction of the Borough budget. In my conversations with residents of all parties I hear requests for more of these events and I am sure many would be upset if they were canceled. We should (and do) make every effort to offset costs through vendor fees and sponsorships, but the expectation that they must be fully self-funding or abandoned ignores the many intangible benefits to Chatham, such as a sense of community, education, and pride to our residents, and showcasing our downtown and Borough.

The Republican candidates also failed to explain their opposition to Borough resolutions and proclamations that recognize events such as Pride Month, Black History Month, and Autism Awareness. Neither Joe nor April could provide an adequate explanation of why they oppose such resolutions or what was meant in their mailer regarding “restoring a sense of pride in Chatham residents”. Ms. Kabbash suggested that there is “an apologist attitude” in these resolutions. There is nothing apologist in recognizing the history and specific challenges that different groups have experienced.

While both Ms. Kabbash and Mr. Barrette were congenial, they brought little depth and no specifics to their argument that they deserved to displace the two incumbents - other than the mere fact that they are Republicans. As Ms. Hay suggested, if they truly believe that party diversity is the highest priority in voting, the Republican candidates should support the three Democrats running for the Morris County Commission, an all-Republican body since the 1970s.

Ms. Mathiasen highlighted ways that her experience helping other towns has directly lowered costs of services and raised revenues in the Borough. Ms. Hay, despite only a short time on Council, described how she has already made major impacts by working with the Board of Health and the Environmental Commission to get more grants, improve our parks and open space, and make our community more pedestrian-friendly.

When pressed on issues important to voters, both Democrats articulated their decision-making prowess and their vision for managing future decisions including complex ones such as affordable housing.

Please join me in voting for the incumbents Kate Hay and Jocelyn Mathiasen on November 5th. Their hard work, dedication, and capabilities deserve your support.